Releasable medicament dental carrier and method

ABSTRACT

A flexible foam I-beam shaped carrier is disclosed having a medicament disposed within channel portions thereof for release during dental treatment. The present invention provides a structure for dental treatment and is especially adaptable for home usage.

I Umted States Patent 1 1111 3,844,286

Cowen Oct. 29, 1974 [54] RELEASABLE MEDICAMENT DENTAL 3,618,213 11/1971Shepherd et al 32/2 CARRIER AND METHOD 3,688,406 9/1972 Porter et al128/260 [76] Inventor: Samuel H. Cowen, Southfield, Mich.

Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Flledi g- 10, 1973 AssistantExaminerl-lenry J. Recla [21] Appl NO: 337,553 Attorney, Agent, orFirmEugene M. Bond [52] US. Cl. 128/260, 128/136 R [57] ABSTRACT 3 Aflexible foam l-beam shaped carrier is disclosed 32/2 having amedicament disposed within channel portions thereof for release duringdental treatment. The pres- [56] References Cited ent invention providesa structure for dental treatment UNITED STATES PATENTS and is especiallyadaptable for home usage. 3,567,823 3/1971 Yamaga et a1 128/260 6Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENIEBBBIZE! m4 Y 3.844.286

MEDICAMENT FIG "2 MEDICAMENT I This invention relates to a foam carrierhaving a releasable medicament contained within channel portions thereoffor use in dental treatment. More particularly the present inventionprovides a foam carrier which releases limited amounts of a medicamentsuch as a fluoride, directly to the teeth in the oral cavity duringdental treatment.

A variety of dental treatment devices are known in the art for treatmentof diseases such as dental caries, pyorrhea, gingivitis and trenchmouth. Proper treatment of these diseases requires that a medicament bein solution and in direct contact with the teeth and gums. Typically,prior art devices provide means for jacketing treating solutions thusrequiring separate application of solution and device. Also, controlledamounts of solution must be employed which is difficult in actualpractice with the likelihood of spillage being significant.

More importantly, because of the requirement in prior art devices thatthe treating solution be separately prepared at the use location, itbecomes impractical to apply such devices for home usage since suchwould require a patient to formulate the treating solution. Also, ininstances when the patient is required to prepare the treating solution,the likelihood of either under dosage or over dosage treatments becomessignificant.

Liquid acid phosphate-fluoride solutions have been clinically employedby dentists for topical application to teeth for the purpose ofpreventing or reducing dental caries. Clinical studies have shown thecariesreducing effectiveness of a single application of liquid acidphosphate-fluoride preparations. in practice these solutions have beenapplied by the dentist who makes a wax impression of the patients teethwhich is used as a mold in which the liquid acid phosphate-fluoridepreparation is placed before applying the impression bring thepreparation into intimate contact with the teeth. However, this practicehas been found unsatisfactory in that the available liquid preparationstend to run out from the wax impression, particularly where the teeth inthe lower jaw are being treated.

contact is achieved between the liquid preparation and all surfaces ofthe teeth..

'Tt has nowEeTfWncrtnarby pracnce orrrrepres'enr invention, there isprovided a new improved dental device having a pre-disposed medicamentin non-liquid state dispersed such that active portions thereof may becontrollably released for dental treatment by the fluids of the oralcavity adjacent to the surfaces of the teeth, and by a slight bitepressure into the foam carrier. Thus, the present device overcomesnumerous difficulties and disadvantages of prior art devices whichrequire separate application of treating solution and means for holdingthe solution in relation to the teeth and gums being treated.

vice with pre-determined amount of medicament in proper location isreadily adaptable to home usage.

Practice of the present invention will become more apparent from thefollowing detailed description taken in conjunction with the figureswherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates in perspective the present flexible foam l-beam shapecarrier as it normally appears;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the present carrier into which ischanneled a medicament disposed for subsequent release;

FIG. 3 illustrates the present device in the configuration prior tointroduction into the mouth of a patient;

and

FIG. 4 illustrates in partial section, the present device in contactwith teeth and gum tissue during treatment.

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate foam carrier 10having side walls 12 and 14 joined by intermediate ridge portion 16. InFIG. 2, a medicament is disposed onto the foam carrier within channelportions defined by walls 20, by most any convenient means.

The medicament may be disposed onto the channel portions of the carrierby a number of different means. For example, finely divided particles ofmedicament may be incorporated in a soluble adhesive. Alternately, asolution of medicament may be prepared and dried on the foam carrier.

The present carrier may be made of open cell or closed cell foamcushioning material. Such material includes for example, latex,polystyrene, polyurethane or related open cell foams. Polyurethane foamhas been 5 found to be a good open cell material for use in making thecarrier and is preferred.

The fluoride compound component must be substantially soluble in waterand ionize by fluids adjacent the teeth to provide a source of fluorideions. Fluoride 0 compounds which have been found satisfactory includesodium fluoride, potassium fluoride, ammonium fluoride, sodiumbifluoride, potassium bifluoride, ammonium bifluoride and sodiumsilicofluoride. Other fluoride compounds including combined chemicalcom- 5 pounds which yield fluoride ions in dilute aqueous solu-Generally stated, the present dental carrier has a flex- 6O ible foaml-beam configuration with medicament disposed on channel portionsthereof. The device is conveniently prepared in a continuous stripwhich, because of the flexibility of the foam, may be readily severed totions may be also utilized. The device of this invention contains asufficient amount of such a fluoride compound to provide about 0.25 toabout 5.0 percent of fluoride ions and preferably about 1.25 percent incontact with the teeth.

When acid phosphate is used, it must also be substantially water-solubleand provide the desired phosphate ions. Examples of such acid phosphatecompounds which may be used include orthophosphoric acid, monosodiumphosphate, monopotassium phosphate, disodium phosphate, dipotassiumphosphate, monoammonium phosphate, hemisodium phosphate and the like. Itwill be understood that other water soluble compounds may also be used.

A number of antibiotics in water soluble powder form may be alsoincorporated in the present carrier for release when in contact with theteeth and/ or gums.

The resultant shape of the carrier has an l-beam configuration includingvertically tapering inner walls 20 which permit more effective contactwith the upper teeth and gum portions during treatment.

Prior to introduction of device into the mouth of a patient, the deviceis first configurated such as illustrated in FIG. 3.

The treatment is illustrated in FIG. 4 where the treating process isaccomplished with slight pressure of the teeth into the intermediateridge l6 while device 10 includes solvent of the teeth for themedicament. Because carrier 10 includes the solvent, i.e., the oralfluids in limited contact with the soluble medicament within the channelportions of the carrier, the activity is effectively released forapplication only to the teeth and gum areas.

Because of the inexpensive nature of the present device, it may bediscarded after each treatment and is expecially adaptable to homeusage. Also, it will be appreciated that the present device avoids thedisadvantage of multiple step treatment required in prior art devices.

It will be further apparent from the foregoing that numerous variationsmay be made in the present invention without departing from the scope asdefined.

What is claimed is:

1. A dental device which comprises a linear flexible foam carrier havingan l-beam configuration with channel portions, and a water-solublemedicament disposed on walls of said channel portions for release whenin contact with oral fluids whereby the said carrier is bent to anarcuate configuration adaptable to the oral cavity of a user.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the medicament is a fluoride containingcompound which releases fluoride in contact with teeth.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the fluoride containing compound isselected from the group consisting of sodium fluoride, potassiumfluoride, ammonium fluoride, sodium bifluoride, potassium bifluoride,ammonium bifluoride and sodium silicofluoride.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the amount of medicament is sufficientto provide about 0.25 percentto about 5.0 percent by weight of fluorideions in contact with teeth.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the amount of medicament is about 1.25percent by weight in contact with teeth.

6. A method of treating teeth which comprises applying a medicament tochannel portions of a linear flexible foam carrier having an I-beamconfiguration, bending the carrier to an accurate configuration andinserting the carrier into the oral cavity, and releasing medicament incontact with teeth by contact of the medicament within the channelportions with oral fluids.

1M 05am!) STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE CORRECTIQN- Patent No. .3 36I i I DaredOctOberZ'QQ: lnventoflsi) Samuel H. Cowen and Jack Nater Q Itis Certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid LetterePatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Inventor on Letters Patent now reading: i

Samn'el H. Cowen 24513 Custis Southfield, Michigan 48075 Should becorrected to read:

Sainu'ei H. Cowen 24513.;Custis Southfield, Michigan 48075 I AND JackNater l220-Morse Street Royal Oak, Michigan, 48000 signed an'd sealedthis 13th day of May 1975.

(sFAL) Attest:

, C. MARSHALL DANN RUTH C. MASON I Commissioner of Patents AttestingOfficer and Trademarks

1. A DENTAL DEVICE WHICH COMPRISES A LINEAR FLEXIBLE FOAM CARRIER HAVINGAN I-BEAM CONFIGURATION WITH CHANNEL PORTIONS, AND A WATER-SOLUBLEMEDICAMENT DISPOSED ON WALLS OF SAID CHANNEL PORTIONS FOR RELEASE WHENIN CONTACT WITH ORAL FLUIDS WHEREBY THE SAID CARRIER IS BENT TO ANARCUATE CONFIGURATION ADAPTABLE TO THE ORAL CAVITY OF A USER.
 2. Thedevice of claim 1 wherein the medicament is a fluoride containingcompound which releases fluoride in contact with teeth.
 3. The device ofclaim 2 wherein the fluoride containing compound is selected from thegroup consisting of sodium fluoride, potassium fluoride, ammoniumfluoride, sodium bifluoride, potassium bifluoride, ammonium bifluorideand sodium silicofluoride.
 4. The device of claim 2 wherein the amountof medicament is sufficient to provide about 0.25 percent to about 5.0percent by weight of fluoride ions in contact with teeth.
 5. The deviceof claim 4 wherein the amount of medicament is about 1.25 percent byweight in contact with teeth.
 6. A method of treating teeth whichcomprises applying a medicament to channel portions of a linear flexiblefoam carrier having an I-beam configuration, bending the carrier to anaccurate configuration and inserting the carrier into the oral cavity,and releasing medicament in contact with teeth by contact of themedicament within the channel portions with oral fluids.